DENVER — Alex Tanguay and Matt Duchene scored shootout goals, Semyon Varlamov stopped both of Edmonton’s shooters and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Oilers 2-1 on Friday night.
Varlamov had 27 saves in regulation and overtime, and Daniel Briere scored in regulation for Colorado.
It was the fifth straight shootout win for the Avalanche, who are 6-2-2 in their last 10.
After both teams failed to convert on their first shootout opportunities, Duchene got one past Ben Scrivens. Varlamov made a save on Jordan Eberle, and Tanguay finished it with a roof shot over a sprawled Scrivens.
Ben Pouliot scored for Edmonton, and Scrivens finished with 27 saves. The Oilers, who are last in the NHL in points with 25, are 1-7-4 in their last 11 games.
Neither team generated much offence until the Avalanche broke through in the second period. Duchene, one of the many Colorado forwards struggling to score, carried the puck behind the net to the front and fed Briere on the opposite side. Briere knocked the puck into an open net at 7:55 of the period. It was his seventh of the season and first in 13 games.
Edmonton generated just five shots in the second period, but gained some momentum with three consecutive power plays. After failing to capitalize on the first two, Pouliot tied it at 4:47 of the third with his sixth of the season. The big left wing muscled through defenceman Jan Hejda to knock a rebound past Varlamov to tie it at 1.
Both teams had chances to take the lead. Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog’s backhander at a wide-open goal hit the side of the net, and Edmonton’s Teddy Purcell hit the right post with a shot midway through the third.
Colorado didn’t get its first shot on net in the third until 7:15 was left in regulation. The Avalanche were outshot 12-3 in the third.
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